Letter: There's no shortage of truck drivers

Tuesday

Apr 18, 2017 at 12:01 AMApr 18, 2017 at 6:48 AM

There is pending legislation in the Ohio House and Senate that ask taxpayers to subsidize the training of entry-level truck drivers under the premise that there is a driver shortage. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Ohio Trucking Association has sold a bill goods to lawmakers because these companies have a driver-retention problem. Drivers will work at a carrier for a short period only to go work for another, hoping the conditions will be better. It is a vicious cycle. In the industry we call it "churning."

Many companies experience turnover rates exceeding 100 percent. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reported that "Trucking firms warn of lower than expected profits due to weak volumes and overcapacity."

As a small-fleet owner myself, I see the daily downward pressure on truckload rates. If there were really a shortage of drivers, driver pay would be compensated entirely different than most business models today. Most drivers are paid by the mile, with the average being around 40 cents per mile for most carriers. If driver pay were adjusted for inflation from 30 years ago, the average would be around 80 cents per mile.

Until a driver's time is thought of as truly valuable, the churn will continue and highway safety will continue to be compromised due to inexperienced drivers. The American Trucking Association has predicted that by 2024, there will be a shortage of 240,000 drivers.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, each year more than 400,000 new commercial driver licenses are issued. Using simple math, it is easy to understand that there will not be any shortage in the foreseeable future.

I urge my senator and representative to vote against this legislation.